Improvement in railroad-crossings



w.1. STILIZMAN.

Railroad-Crossing. No.168 853. T I p I I Patented Oct. 19, 1875.

N.PETES. PHOTO-LITHUGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WAIT J. STILLMAN, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-CROSSINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 1 68,853, datedOctober 19, 1875 application filed July 30, 1875.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WAIT J. STILLMAN, ofthe city of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York,have invented a Fender Attachment for Railroad-Crossings, of which thefollowing is a specification:

The object of my invention is, by the attachment of a hinged fender,constructed and arranged as herein set forth, to the planking of arailroad-crossing, to prevent danger to animals and vehicles in crossingthe track.

Figure l is a plan of my said device, and Fig. 6 is a perspective of thesame in position. Fig. 2 is a section, showing the depression of thefender caused .by a passing train. Fig. 3 is a section showing theordinary position of the fender and spring under the same. Fig. 5 is asection showing the hinged connection and fender or guard open. Fig. 4is a plan view of the hinge and fender.

A represents the bed-planking of the rail road-crossing; B, the fenderor guard, having a hinge or joint connection to the strap S, which issecurely attached to the plank crossing. 0 G are springs of steel, alsofirmly attached t0 the plank, and extending under the fender B. d (l arebuttons to hold the guard in its ordinary position.

I construct and arrange my device substantially as follows: I make oneor rtlore sections of iron plates or fenders of malleable or wroughtmetal, extending in length the width of thestreet, and sufficientlywide,and of such form as to cover up the cross-openings between theplank and the T-rail. 1 have also found that my device will operatebetter by making the space between the plank and rail wider than theordinary space. The fendor or guard may, if desired, have itsextremities bent downward, as seen in Fig. 6, to facilitate the passingof the wheels of the cars. I then fasten the straps S (after they arehinged to the fender) firmly to the planking, so that the fender orguard will be on a plane with the top of the T-rail, or just below thesame, and located between the rail and plank; or the fender may beplaced so as to be just below the flange of the rail. I then attach, insuitable slots or cuts in the planking, the springs O O, which passtransversely under the fender, nearly to its outer verge; and tofacilitate the action of the springs I make the bearin gs or ends of thesprings curvilinear, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The springs are placed atsuitable distances, and are made of good tempered steel, andsufficiently large and rigid or stitt', so as to bear up a horse instepping on the fender, and to prevent the damage liable to occur atrailroad-crossings not supplied with such guards. The device now beingput in position, as described and set forth, and as indicated in Figs. 1and 6, is ready for use.

The attachment is so constructed and arranged that the passing of atrain depresses the fender, as shown in Fig. 2, while the crossing ofroad-vehicles, or of a horse or person, will make no apparentdepression, nor will they be endangered, as when passing across therailroad unprovided-with the guards or fenders.

These guards also subserve a useful purpose in keeping obstructions fromthe space next the rail.

What I claim is- The combination of the fender B, or its equivalent,with the plank bed of a railroadcrossing and springs or elastic plates,arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

WAIT J. STILLMAN.

Witnesses:

O. H. DENIO, JAMES LANSING.

